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CBC
13-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
N.S. firefighters head home after helping to battle large Sask. wildfire
Social Sharing A group of Nova Scotia firefighters began their journey home Friday after a roughly two-week deployment in Saskatchewan helping to battle a monster wildfire in that province. According to Scott Tingley, manager of forest protection with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources, the crew of 20 firefighters and a department representative was assigned to what's called the Shoe fire near Little Bear Lake in northern Saskatchewan. He said it's one of the largest fires now burning in Canada and that the Nova Scotia crew was supporting efforts to protect communities. An update Thursday on the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency's website said the fire had burned more than 550,000 hectares. "They've been working in very challenging conditions," said Tingley. "They've been doing some mop-up operations, just making sure any of the hot spots … that are around values [property or assets that could be damaged by fire] are completely extinguished." The crew also helped to reinforce control lines, which is a tactic where potential fuel is removed from the path of a fire. In Nova Scotia, it's been a quiet wildfire season so far, Tingley said, pointing to regular rainfall and wet conditions through much of April and May. He added that the number of fires and hectares burned are at "historic lows." That's similar to last year, which was the least active wildfire season on record. There have been some small fires in the province this year. It's difficult to make long-term predictions about weather, Tingley said. But based on "seasonal briefings" his department has received, he said there are "some indications … that there's potential for warmer conditions in general for the region." In 2023, wildfires tore through parts of the Upper Tantallon area and Shelburne County, destroying 200 homes. That year, personnel from other parts of Canada and the United States assisted Nova Scotia's firefighting efforts during what would be the most devastating wildfire season on record. For the province to now be able to send firefighters to help others, Tingley said, is "a very good feeling." Firefighting resources across Canada are strained, according to the organization that co-ordinates resources and information between agencies. "The current situation is fairly severe across Canada, particularly within the Prairie provinces into British Columbia and Ontario as well," said Alexandria Jones, a spokesperson for the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. "We've had to reach out to our international partners for assistance."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfire totals in Canada quickly surpass yearly average
It's still early in the traditional fire season and wildfires in Canada are burning across the land faster than any other year except for 2023. So far this year, more than 7.8 million acres have burned, which is close to the size of the state of Maryland. This season has already passed the annual average. The 25-year average of land burned in Canada in a season is 7.3 million acres, according to data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. In 2023, a record was set with over 40 million acres burned and this year's total is set to be well above normal. It's not just the fires themselves that are causing issues, but the smoke has reached into the U.S. causing air quality issues and has even made its way across the Atlantic. There are currently 225 active fires burning across Canada, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. Of the 225 active wildfires in Canada, 116 are out of control, 27 are being held and 82 are under control. Canada currently has multiple massive active fires greater than 250,000 acres burning in five provinces. The country's largest fire is the Shoe Fire, burning in central Saskatchewan 100 miles north of Saskatoon, The Washington Post reported. That fire is now over 1.2 million acres in size and has prompted evacuations in 33 rural communities. British Columbia currently has two massive out-of-control fires among the 86 active fires within the province, per The Washington Post. One of the fires in the far north part of the province is getting close to reaching 500,000 acres. Another rapidly growing fire has led to evacuations for rural Indigenous First Nations regions. In Alberta, there are 60 active fires and five of them are over 120,000 acres. The province's largest fire was started by lightning north of Edmonton and had grown past 320,000 acres earlier this week. There are five fires in Manitoba that are greater than 120,000 acres and are out of control, and the largest is over 740,000 acres. Because of increased moisture, the growth of the larger fires has slowed significantly. Ontario's largest fire is over 370,000 acres and there are multiple wildfires burning in the southwest area of the province. The region's fires have also been subdued by wetter conditions recently, per The Washington Post. Rain is forecast near some of the Canadian fires this weekend and into next week, which will hopefully help contain the blazes more. As the smoke has caused air quality issues across Canada as well as in the Midwest and Eastern United States it's also made its way across the Atlantic Ocean. According to The Washington Post, this week a plume of smoke from the fires has caused hazy skies in Europe. As of Wednesday morning the smoke had traveled around 6,000 miles from its origin to central parts of Russia. Another round of smoke may be prevented from filling European skies next week thanks to a high-pressure system forming near Western Europe. The layer of smoke in the atmosphere has caused typically blue skies to have an orange or milk-white hue, and it also changes the appearance of the sun. 'The change in the appearance of the sun and sky is due to smoke particles in the atmosphere scattering the blue wavelengths of light more, allowing predominantly orange and red hues to reach our eyes,' per BBC Weather.
France 24
11-06-2025
- Climate
- France 24
Experts warn Canada's wildfire season likely to be massive again
More than 220 active fires were burning across the country Tuesday, with half of them considered out of control. More than 3.3 million hectares (12,700 square miles) have already been consumed by flames -- an area equivalent to the country of Belgium. A violent, early season Two provinces in central Canada -- Saskatchewan and Manitoba -- were hard-hit with rough starts to fire season, and had to declare a state of emergency at the end of May. Now, more than a dozen new fires are detected daily across Canada -- often started accidentally by humans, but sometimes ignited by lightning strikes. Mega wildfires are now burning in western Alberta and British Columbia, as well as in northern Ontario, the country's most populous province. While these fires are consuming land at an alarming pace, they have not yet matched the numbers from 2023, an extraordinary year. "It's quite spectacular what we're seeing right now," said Marc-Andre Parisien, a researcher at the Canadian Forest Service. As such, the country is on maximum fire alert and resources are ready for mobilization, including army-led evacuations from remote areas. International aid from Australia and the Unites States are also standing by. Fire weather conditions "There are some similarities to the 2023 fire season, particularly because we're again coping with a very large area experiencing water deficits and drought," Parisien said. "Without the insulating effect of snow, the ground warmed up, vegetation dried more quickly, and conditions conducive to forest fires were established several weeks in advance," said Hossein Bonakdari, a University of Ottowa professor. What's more, temperatures in May were above average across most of Canada. In recent years, Canada has experienced warming at least twice as fast as the rest of the globe. Linked to human-induced climate change, rising temperatures lead to reduced snow, shorter and milder winters, and earlier summer conditions that promote fires, experts say. - Summer outlook - Under current conditions, the fires are expected to last weeks or months, researchers say, warning that affected areas are so large that fires can smolder underground and reappear as temperatures rise. "What is quite worrisome for the country is that we're experiencing a third consecutive year of intense fires with social consequences for thousands of evacuees but also significant ecological impacts," said Yan Boulanger, researcher for Canada's Ministry of Natural Resources. While forest fires have a natural place in Canada's ecosystem, repeated blazes mean there is little time to regenerate in between fire seasons. In some areas, the forest is beginning to disappear, making way for prairie landscapes, the researcher said. Another source of concern for experts: the size of the fires, which are already enormous this month, long before the peak of the season. For example, in Saskatchewan, the Shoe Fire already exceeds 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres).
Toronto Sun
08-06-2025
- Climate
- Toronto Sun
Resident of Saskatchewan village threatened by fire posts video of raindrops: 'It was amazing'
Published Jun 08, 2025 • 3 minute read Fire crews near the northern community of Weyakwin, Sask., were doing their best to control wildfires in the area on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Photo by Kayle Neis / Regina Leader-Post CANDLE LAKE — After weeks of being ready to evacuate at a moment's notice due to a wildfire burning just kilometres away, the owner of JD's Mini Golf posted a video of rain falling outside her business in Candle Lake, Saskatchewan. The video included a note for viewers to have the sound on, so they didn't miss the soft patter as the drops fell on the resort village Saturday. 'Amongst everything that's going on right now with the wildfire at our doorsteps, you just needed to be able to back away from that and hear the sound of the rain and what it was bringing to us,' Jackie Davis said in a phone interview on Sunday. 'It was amazing — long time overdue. It was like, over a month since we've had some.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said all fires in the province received some rain on Saturday, with the Shoe Fire that's been threatening Candle Lake getting 22 millimetres. That's not a lot, but the SPSA said the moisture was appreciated and gives firefighters a small window where they can take the fight directly to the fires while their intensity is lower. The Shoe Fire remained at just under 500,000 hectares in size on Sunday, officials said, and was burning uncontained about 11 kilometres from Candle Lake. 'Things are looking good now. Things could always change. But we're not expecting anything to, any time soon, over the next couple of days,' Bryan Chartrand, executive director of land operations for the SPSA, said during a news conference Sunday. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Elsewhere on the Prairies, the Manitoba Wildfire Service said the province had a low-to-moderate fire danger level Sunday, but the northeast had a high-to-extreme fire danger and that lightning starts were anticipated. One fire in that region, which stretches from Bird River to Bissett, was approximately 203,720 hectares and remained out of control. 'To provide context as to the seriousness and size of the wildfires, the city of Winnipeg is approximately 46,000 hectares in size,' the province's fire bulletin on Sunday said. It added that another fire in Manitoba's northwest that's been threatening the evacuated town of Flin Flon and surrounding communities is now approximately seven times the size of Winnipeg. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Thousands of people remained out of their homes due to evacuation orders in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta over the weekend. Back in Candle Lake, where a voluntary evacuation order has been in effect since late last month, Davis said many people have left and the resort community feels a bit 'scary.' She said the puddles from Saturday's rain had already evaporated. 'The sound and feel of the community is definitely not what it would be for into June. Usually there's lots of people getting excited, looking to come up to the lake for the summer and get into their cabins and campers, ready for that seasonal experience, and it's quiet,' Davis said, adding she's thankful to firefighting crews as well as volunteers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The Prime Minister's Office said Sunday that Mark Carney had convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to address the wildfire situation. In a readout following the meeting, the PMO said the group was briefed on efforts to respond to the fires and support evacuations. It said that included the mobilizing the Canadian Armed Forces to help evacuate Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario, where a fire was burning about six kilometres away. In northern Alberta where an evacuation area remained in effect over the weekend near the Alberta-British Columbia boundary, the County of Grande Prairie said on its website that hot, dry, and windy conditions were expected to bring 'extreme and unpredictable fire behaviour.' — By Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton World Canada Editorials Sports Columnists
Hamilton Spectator
08-06-2025
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Resident of village threatened by fire posts video of raindrops: ‘It was amazing'
CANDLE LAKE - After weeks of being ready to evacuate at a moment's notice due to a wildfire burning just kilometres away, the owner of JD's Mini Golf posted a video of rain falling outside her business in Candle Lake, Saskatchewan. The video included a note for viewers to have the sound on, so they didn't miss the soft patter as the drops fell on the resort village Saturday. 'Amongst everything that's going on right now with the wildfire at our doorsteps, you just needed to be able to back away from that and hear the sound of the rain and what it was bringing to us,' Jackie Davis said in a phone interview on Sunday. 'It was amazing — long time overdue. It was like, over a month since we've had some.' The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency said all fires in the province received some rain on Saturday, with the Shoe Fire that's been threatening Candle Lake getting 22 millimetres. That's not a lot, but the SPSA said the moisture was appreciated and gives firefighters a small window where they can take the fight directly to the fires while their intensity is lower. The Shoe Fire remained at just under 500,000 hectares in size on Sunday, officials said, and was burning uncontained about 11 kilometres from Candle Lake. 'Things are looking good now. Things could always change. But we're not expecting anything to, any time soon, over the next couple of days,' Bryan Chartrand, executive director of land operations for the SPSA, said during a news conference Sunday. Elsewhere on the Prairies, the Manitoba Wildfire Service said the province had a low-to-moderate fire danger level Sunday, but the northeast had a high-to-extreme fire danger and that lightning starts were anticipated. One fire in that region, which stretches from Bird River to Bissett, was approximately 203,720 hectares and remained out of control. 'To provide context as to the seriousness and size of the wildfires, the city of Winnipeg is approximately 46,000 hectares in size,' the province's fire bulletin on Sunday said. It added that another fire in Manitoba's northwest that's been threatening the evacuated town of Flin Flon and surrounding communities is now approximately seven times the size of Winnipeg. Thousands of people remained out of their homes due to evacuation orders in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta over the weekend. Back in Candle Lake, where a voluntary evacuation order has been in effect since late last month, Davis said many people have left and the resort community feels a bit 'scary.' She said the puddles from Saturday's rain had already evaporated. 'The sound and feel of the community is definitely not what it would be for into June. Usually there's lots of people getting excited, looking to come up to the lake for the summer and get into their cabins and campers, ready for that seasonal experience, and it's quiet,' Davis said, adding she's thankful to firefighting crews as well as volunteers. The Prime Minister's Office said Sunday that Mark Carney had convened the Incident Response Group with ministers and senior officials to address the wildfire situation. In a readout following the meeting, the PMO said the group was briefed on efforts to respond to the fires and support evacuations. It said that included the mobilizing the Canadian Armed Forces to help evacuate Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario, where a fire was burning about six kilometres away. In northern Alberta where an evacuation area remained in effect over the weekend near the Alberta-British Columbia boundary, the County of Grande Prairie said on its website that hot, dry, and windy conditions were expected to bring 'extreme and unpredictable fire behaviour.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. — By Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
